Goregaon, Malad get official share-an-auto routes

Officials say due to increase in population in the suburbs, existing public transport services are proving to be inadequate

Eight new sharing auto routes have been approved by the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Transport Authority (MMRTA) apart from introducing new taxi and auto stands.

All the eight share-a-rick routes approved are in the areas of Goregaon and Malad (see box). Due to increasing residential population in some pockets of western suburbs the existing public transportation network is unable to meet to the demands, which prompted the authorities to approve new sharing auto rickshaw stands.

As per the details available five of the routes are from Malad East, while the balance three for Goregaon West.

“Over the years, the total numbers of auto and taxi stands too have taken a drop in Mumbai. Therefore, four such stands were approved by the MMRTA in their meeting held last month,” said an official from the transport department. The unions too have been raising their voices and concerns over the dwindling number of stands in Mumbai.

The two auto rickshaw stands approved are at Phoenix Mall at LBS Road in Kurla and Kapadia Nagar on CST Road of Kurla.

Similarly, the two taxi stands approved are at Hiranandani Complex in Powai and on the Mumbai end of Airoli Toll Plaza at Mulund.

In the previous MMRTA meetings too, the authorities have approved several other sharing taxi and auto routes all over Mumbai. Over 60 such routes involving taxi and auto rickshaws have been approved for various locations of Mumbai in the last couple of years.